Self preservation is the preservation or protection of ones self. For humans this is often a trait which we have received as instinct, however if not guarded can develop into not only protecting yourself but doing so at the cost of others happiness, health, or overall well being. In order to protect ourselves we will sometimes go to any length. Some of these lengths include throwing someone else under the bus per say or getting them in trouble instead of us. Another is hurting someone's social image to build our own etc. Acts of self preservation if not used carefully can often harm those around us in a large variety of ways. Tonight though, I'd like to take a different look at this idea of self preservation. As humans, we thrive in a pack, with other people and by being social, we can't do life alone. So with that said and our large aspect of social need in our character... Self preservation should actually be the preservation of others and those around us. Think about it, if socialization is such a large part of our lives having an even larger impact on our lives. Then the impact we have on others directly affects us constantly, day to day, moment to moment. The socialization aspect is like a circle, touching and connecting to others and then eventually sooner or later returning back to us. By positively trying to preserve others, we're not only preserving them but preserving ourselves... Next time your self preservation instinct kicks in, remember the long term effects and change it to, the preservation of others. :)
A thought came to me today as I stumbled upon some inspirational posts. Why are we often so eager to escape our troubling circumstances. We get trapped in the fire and get so focused on getting out that perhaps we miss the most important question of all, what refining needs to be completed in the fire? Just as a welder uses the fire to shape and refine metal, so God uses our circumstances, "fires" to shape and refine us. If he simply swooped in and saved the day, we would lack the knowledge he hopes us to gain, we wouldn't grow in character or wisdom. In the fire we think he abandom us, left us to our own devices, but in reality he is more present in the fire even then in the calm. It's when we feel abandoned that he's calling to us the loudest, beckoning us to just open our ears to listen to his voice. Take the fires in stride, don't immediately reach for the extinguisher. Allow the flames to surround you with the confident knowledge that the one whom the...
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